We’re excited to announce our 2025-2026 Tennessee Student Contests! We invite all eligible students to submit a poem, and we encourage Tennessee educators to involve their students in a contest.
The competition features three divisions:
High School Division (Grades 9-12) Free Verse Poem
Middle School Division (Grades 6-8) Free Verse Poem
Elementary Division (Grades 2-5) Any Poem Form
Who is Eligible?
The competition is free and open to all Tennessee students in grades 2-12. Public, private, and home school students are eligible. Each student may submit only one poem.
Non-Tennessee residents may compete by joining the Poetry Society of Tennessee as Student Members. Get membership information.
What do Winners Receive?
Five winners for each division. Winners will receive cash prizes or equivalent: 1st place $25, 2nd $20, 3rd $15, 4th $10, and 5th $5.
Winners will be announced on the PST website spring 2026. First place winning poems will be published in the 2025-2026 edition of Tennessee Voices Anthology.
How to Enter
The entry deadline for all divisions is February 10, 2026. This year, we will accept submissions by mail or email. Postmark or submit email entries by the deadline.
Get More Details
Learn more about our student contests, including contest guidelines.
Poetry Society of Tennessee 